What is sciatica?

Sciatica is the term used to refer to pain along the sciatic nerve, which extends from your lower back, through your hips and buttocks, and down each leg.

Sciatica typically affects only one side of your body and can range in severity from mild to severe. It’s often accompanied by other symptoms, including numbness, tingling, or weakness in the affected leg and foot.

Sciatica can interfere with your daily activities and make standing, walking, and even sitting difficult. If you’d like to try an alternative to traditional painkillers, massage may be able to help. It won’t treat the underlying cause of your sciatica, but it may provide some temporary relief from pain.

What are the benefits of massage for sciatica?

Massage therapy is an effective way to relieve pain. A 2014 study even found that deep tissue massage may be as effective as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for relieving low back pain, which can be a symptom of sciatica.

When it comes to sciatica, massage can help in two ways. Massage’s main benefit is soothing tense muscles. When your muscles are tense, they can put more pressure on your nerves, including your sciatic nerve. Massaging these tense muscles may help to reduce pressure on your sciatic nerve.

Soft tissue massage may also help to increase your pain threshold by stimulating the release of endorphins. Endorphins boost pleasure and relieve pain, causing an increased feeling of well-being. They are also released during sex, exercise, and eating.

Original post: https://www.healthline.com/health/massage-for-sciatica#benefits